The Administrative Appeals Office issued a landmark decision today, overturning the old standard of adjudication for national interest waiver petitions, and replacing it with a legal test that on first blush seems more permissive. The decision is Matter of Dhanasar, 26 I&N Dec. 884 (AAO 2016), which expressly vacates the longstanding Matter of New York State Department of Transportation, 22 I&N Dec. 215 (Acting Assoc. Comm'r 1998). The Department of Homeland Security has designated the decision as a precedent, to be followed by adjudicators.
As per the Dhanasar decision, USCIS may now grant a national interest waiver if the petitioner demonstrates: (1) that the foreign national's proposed endeavor has both substantial merit and national importance; (2) that he or she is well positioned to advance the proposed endeavor; and (3) that, on balance, it would be beneficial to the United States to waive the requirement of a job offer and thus of a labor certification.
The Administrative Appeals Office clearly wanted to move away from requiring petitioners to establish geographic national benefit. The decision notes that the old standard restated requirements, creating more confusion with each restatement, for petitioners and adjudicators alike. I have to agree, and it is refreshing to see the Administrative Appeals Office take such a candid review of its own decision. Over the years, we've had to evaluate the likelihood of success for these cases based on adjudication trends, which have varied quite a bit over time.
The new standard presents its own evidentiary challenges. How will the agency decide if work will be of "substantial merit" and "national importance"? In the Dhanasar case, the petitioner works in research and development of air and space propulsion systems, which should benefit national defense. Further, Dhanasar will work at a University, where they will be able to disseminate their research, and rather easily meet the second prong concerning being well positioned to advance the proposed endeavor. The AAO chose a case which is easy to approve on the facts, based on the revised tests. We'll have to see how adjudicators apply these new standards in less obvious cases.
The clear statement of the new adjudication test is an improvement, as is the decreased emphasis on geographic impact. It is also an improvement to not require proofs that the national interest will be harmed by requiring a labor certification, and by explicitly requiring a comparison of the petitioner to other workers in the field. The decision notes that the new test will be more accommodating for self-employed individuals and entrepreneurs.
Still, I don't think the gates have opened wide. The key adjudication standards- "both substantial merit and national importance," "well-positioned," and "beneficial to the U.S. to waive the requirement" – leave much to interpretation, case-by-case. No doubt, this is intentional on the AAO's part, who seem to focus on not excluding certain worthy candidates, which would happen with NYSDOT's flawed construction. The key beneficiaries of this decision may be the self-employed, and those in higher educated professions with traditionally localized focuses, such as certain physicians, engineers, architects, and the like.
The Department of Labor reports that it has withdrawn its Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and Schedule A Request for Information from OMB/OIRA review.
The PERM rules are in great need of revision and modernization. The most common complaint that we hear, and which was articulated in stakeholder meetings, is that the required job postings in Sunday newspapers of general circulation is not reflective of current recruiting practices. Newspapers in major metropolitan areas charge thousands of dollars for two well-written Sunday postings.
The final PERM rules were published on December 27, 2004, and PERM program was launched on March 28, 2005. Since that time, any kinks in the system have been worked out through the dissemination of FAQ memos, as well as BALCA decisions. The memos and decisions frequently focus on sections of the ETA-9089 form, and the ways to properly fill out the form.
In the decade that has passed since the implementation of the PERM rules, the world of business and recruiting has changed. Modernization of the PERM process is sorely needed, for fairness, to speed up the processes, and to lower the costs.
We will have to wait and see how things will change with the incoming Trump Administration and the PERM system. The implementation of any new rule will have to go through the full OMB review and rule-making process.
The Department of Homeland Security published its final rule today for modernizing the employment based immigration. The rule will take effect 60 days from today, which should be right before the change in the administrations. This rule is a big deal for employment immigration. It is also just plain big, weighing in at 94 pages in the Federal Register.
It institutes many changes. Broadly speaking, the rule affects cap-exempt determinations for H-1Bs, creates grace periods for certain situations, revokes the 90 day EAD rule, and creates a compelling circumstances EAD. The rule will probably lead to more self-petitions from professionals, typically under the national interest waiver category. It will take some time to sort through all of it, but the general impression is the rule will make improvements upon the employment based immigration system.
Unless….of course, the Trump Administration takes steps to revoke the rule. The Trump Administration and the key people involved with immigration have loudly been anti-immigration, whether legal or illegal. There is some chance therefore that steps may be taken to roll back this and other rules.
• Clarify and improve longstanding DHS policies and practices implementing sections of the American Competitiveness in the Twenty-First Century Act and the American Competitiveness and Workforce Improvement Act related to certain foreign workers, which will enhance USCIS' consistency in adjudication.
• Better enable U.S. employers to employ and retain high-skilled workers who are beneficiaries of approved employment-based immigrant visa petitions (Form I-140 petitions) while also providing stability and job flexibility to these workers. The rule increases the ability of these workers to further their careers by accepting promotions, changing positions with current employers, changing employers and pursuing other employment opportunities.
• Improve job portability for certain beneficiaries of approved Form I-140 petitions by maintaining a petition's validity under certain circumstances despite an employer's withdrawal of the approved petition or the termination of the employer's business.
• Clarify and expand when individuals may keep their priority date when applying for adjustment of status to lawful permanent residence.
3. They can demonstrate compelling circumstances exist that justify DHS issuing an employment authorization document in its discretion.
• Clarify various policies and procedures related to the adjudication of H-1B petitions, including, among other things, providing H-1B status beyond the six year authorized period of admission, determining cap exemptions and counting workers under the H-1B cap, H-1B portability, licensure requirements and protections for whistleblowers.
• Establish two grace periods of up to 10 days for individuals in the E-1, E-2, E-3, L-1, and TN nonimmigrant classifications to provide a reasonable amount of time for these individuals to prepare to begin employment in the country and to depart the United States or take other actions to extend, change, or otherwise maintain lawful status.
• Establish a grace period of up to 60 consecutive days during each authorized validity period for certain high-skilled nonimmigrant workers when their employment ends before the end of their authorized validity period, so they may more readily pursue new employment and an extension of their nonimmigrant status.
• Automatically extend the employment authorization and validity of Employment Authorization Documents (EADs or Form I-766s) for certain individuals who apply on time to renew their EADs.
• Eliminate the regulatory provision that requires USCIS to adjudicate the Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, within 90 days of filing and that authorizes interim EADs in cases where such adjudications are not conducted within the 90-day timeframe.
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson announced this week that Temporary Protected Status (TPS) will be extended for citizens of Nepal through June 24th, 2018. The law allows a person to hold TPS and a nonimmigrant status at the same time. Nepalese citizens in the U.S. may benefit by obtaining an unrestricted Employment Authorization Document via TPS, while also holding a nonimmigrant status. The 60 day re-registration period runs from October 26th, 2016 to December 27, 2016.
Temporary Protected Status was first granted to Nepal due the terrible earthquake which devastated the country in April 2015. Nepal is a place near and dear to my heart, as I've trekked and traveled there extensively. I have friends who visited the Langtang region in the past couple weeks. The effects of the earthquake are immediately apparent there, still, as whole villages remain buried. Nepal is one of several places in the world which needs aid, and the extension of temporary protected status is well called for.
Applicants can check their case status at My Case Status Online or by calling the USCIS National Customer Service Center at 1-800-375-5283 (TDD for the deaf and hard of hearing: 1-800-767-1833).
Businesses and professionals have asked us how the President's executive actions may impact them. The language and memorandums are very promising. However, we will have to wait and see how things play out. Many of the particulars still have to make it through the Federal Register publication process, which includes agency drafting of rules and required public comment periods.
Probably the best introductory resource is the Department of Homeland Security's dedicated page, which references a number of different memorandums and actions. For the DHS memo which addresses changes for employers and high skilled workers, visit here. The White House's website and dedicated webpage is also a good resource. The American Immigration Council has published a comprehensive summary of the President's actions.
Seventeen states, led by the Texas Attorney General, filed a lawsuit last week to stop the President's actions, based on claims that his actions are unconstitutional, as an overreach of his authority. Our take, in a nutshell, is the President's actions are constitutional, due to the existing broad delegation of authority in the Immigration and Nationality Act. If Congress wants to change things, it will need to pass a law. Some judges may disagree, at least in part, and some of the President's actions are edgier than others, and so we'll wait and see.
The House of Representatives passed a bill last week, by a small majority, voting on partisan lines, which found the actions unconstitutional. It is unlikely the bill will go anywhere. Even if it passed the Senate, the President presumably would veto the bill.
It is going to take a while for the actions to take effect. In many cases, federal regulations and processes have to be drafted, and published in the Federal Register first for comment. For less-specific orders, such as where the President ordered agencies to consult to streamline immigration processing measures, some activity may be seen after the turn of the year. Of course, it's possible the litigation may slow things down.
Some of the proposals to help high skilled workers have been in the making for a while, such as H-4 work authorization for spouses of persons with approved I-140s. That should be coming soon, and would likely be of interest to some.
In 2012, the Deferred Action for Childhood Action program was announced in June, and the agency began accepting applications two months later. It will be interesting to see how fast the affirmative application processes can be implemented here.
a. Perhaps the most noteworthy possible change related to business is the possibility of "preregistration" for those who have an approved I-140 but don't have a current priority date. This has been mentioned in stakeholder briefings from the White House, but hasn't explicitly made it into the press releases or other announcements. This would allow a process to apply for an employment authorization/travel document. It is possible this will be written into the regulations, but we'll have to wait and see. It's also possible the proposal needs to be further vetted before release, as the statute on adjustment of status is relatively clear. Such an action could impact many persons who are stuck in long waits, and could reflect the White House statements concerning relief to 400,000 workers.
b. Guidance is likely to be issued that will allow a more liberal view of portability for position same or similar position changes, when persons switch positions with after having an immigrant visa petition. This would provide more confidence to employers and beneficiaries in taking promotions and other natural career changes.
c. The President has asked the agencies involved in issuing visas to come up with a plan to coordinate between them to streamline the application process (e.g. single data entry, background checks). The expectation is measures will also speed up the process.
d. The agencies have been directed to take measures to favor entrepreneurs, such as greater use of the National Interest Waiver provisions for job-creators.
e. The PERM labor certification system is supposed to be reevaluated and amended. This sounds promising, but it could take a long time to have impact, due to federal regulation and internal system processes. It has been asked that the process include harmless error provisions, which would at least cover clerical errors. Ideally, we'll see an expanded use of Schedule A. For instance, we have lobbied for use of Schedule A with regard to physicians practicing in underserved areas.
f. There may be a number of revisions to Optional Practical Training (OPT) for foreign students. The DHS Secretary has directed the agency to expand the list of STEM degree programs eligible for automatic OPT extensions of 29 months for certain employers (which would include Providence). That period may be lengthened too, though no alternative length of time has been said. There also may need to be closer nexus between degree and training than which has been required to date. There are also indications of labor market protections being implemented related to OPT usage.
These are just some of the highlights. There are other reforms which may come in relation to the use of parole, military enlistment, and other areas. Of course, the centerpiece of the proposal is the Deferred Action programs for parents of U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents, and the expansion of the rules for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. Experts say these latter two proposals could create work authorization for roughly 5 million persons.


They are so small and delicate, the hall (which is packed with people standing in all available spaces) is also completely quiet because they make so little sound. Every group that finished gets a big round of applause and all the dancers have beaming smiles on their faces.
These dancers are the future of Irish Dancing in Sydney.


The 2016 National Television Awards has taken place tonight (20 Jan) in London.
Presented by Dermot O'Leary, the winners included Doctor Foster, Gogglebox, EastEnders and a special recognition award for comedian Billy Connelly.
WINNER: I'm a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!
Shayne Ward & Danny Dyer both pick up awards.


As the nation's leading scientific resource for oil spills, the Commerce Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has been on the scene of the BP spill from the start, providing coordinated scientific weather and biological response services to federal, state and local organizations.
NOAA has mobilized experts from across the agency to help contain the spreading oil spill and protect the Gulf of Mexico's many marine mammals, sea turtles, fish, shellfish and other endangered marine life.
NOAA is predicting the oil spill's trajectory and the path of the layers of oil floating on the surface. OR&R experts are conducting aerial surveys to update trajectory maps and visually track the movement of the spill.
NOAA's National Weather Service is providing regular weather forecasts to a joint federal command center in Louisiana to facilitate operations planning and response efforts.
Experienced marine mammal spotters from NOAA's Southeast Fisheries Science Center are participating in surveillance flights flown by the Office of Marine and Aviation Operations to assess the species and populations that may come in contact with the spill.
NOAA also is using experimental satellite data from our Satellite Analysis Branch to survey the extent of spill-related marine pollution.
As a major partner in the federal response to this evolving incident, NOAA will continue to provide the necessary coastal and marine expertise required for sound, timely decision-making and help protect the affected Gulf Coast communities and coastal marine environment.


GREENVILLE, S.C. – Greenville's latest innovative company, Locally Epic, recently added a new team member to help spread the word of great deals around town.
The company's newest addition is big, blue and in the shape of a phone! Locally Epic's new mascot will be helping Greenville locals and tourists all over the community. His main goals are getting the public involved with shopping local and benefiting homegrown businesses while helping people save money.
Although Locally Epic's mascot is ready to venture into the community and help people save big, he still lacks a name. Any suggestions on what the big, blue phone's name should be can be submitted Locally Epic's Facebook (www.facebook.com/LocallyEpic)or Instagram pages (instagram.com/locallyepicgvl). The contest will run through Friday, June 15 at noon.
The app, which can be downloaded here or found on iTunes or GooglePlay has over 45 total categories. Out of the total businesses involved, 30 of them are restaurants and stores, while others include job offers, non-profits, schools and more. More than 100 local businesses have signed on to promote their products and services on the Locally Epic platform.


Current thought; Pockets are a feminist issue.
Why doesn't the fashion industry make clothes for women that have an adequate offering of functional pockets (like mens)?
I'm going to give it a try …. watch this space.


SINCE Jimmy Cliff's album Rebirth was released in February it has enjoyed numerous accolades from music pundits and was recently nominated for a Grammy in the Best Reggae Album category.
It also made the top 50 albums of 2012 for Rolling Stone magazine and ABC News. On Rolling Stone's table, Rebirth came in at number 12, behind Bruce Springsteen in top position with Wrecking Ball, Frank Ocean's Orange at number two, and Jack White's Blunderbuss in third.
On the ABC News list, Rebirth is in 48th position. The station's website listed favourite tracks from the Tim Armstrong-produced album as Children's Bread, Ruby Soho, World Upside Down, Outsider, Bang, and Guns of Brixton.
Rebirth has sold just 33,000 copies in the United States, according to SoundScan, the company that monitors album sales in that country.


text:
Welsh Rugby
Welsh Rugby Home
More from Rugby Union
Wales Home
Samoa's Gordon Langkilde charged with assault as Tom Williams suffers broken bones
From the section Welsh Rugby
Wales Sevens lost 35-0 against hosts USA to set up the match against Samoa
Samoa Sevens player Gordon Langkilde has been charged with assault after an altercation that left Wales' Tom Williams with broken facial bones and two other players injured.
The incident occurred in the tunnel after Wales' Rugby World Cup Sevens win over Samoa on 22 July in the United States.
San Francisco Police confirmed Langkilde had been arrested "on the charges of Aggravated Assault (felony) and Battery Causing Serious Bodily Injury".
The WRU also confirmed Williams' injuries.
Langkilde was booked into San Francisco County Jail, a police statement confirmed, while an "active and ongoing investigation" took place.
San Francisco's district attorney office confirmed Langkilde has been charged with four counts, which included one of assault and three of battery.
The charges include three felonies and one misdemeanour and a court hearing will be held on Wednesday, 25 July.
The initial police statement issued confirmed reports three Wales players were hurt during the tournament but says Langkilde is accused of assaulting two players.
The incident took place in a tunnel leading from the playing field to the locker room area.
The statement read: "Langkilde, a visiting rugby player (Samoa) is accused of assaulting two players of another visiting rugby team. A 26 year-old, male (Wales) sustained facial injuries and a 21 year-old, male (Wales) suffered broken facial bones. A third victim, a 24 year-old, male (Wales) sustained facial injuries during the incident.
"Langkilde was taken into custody without incident at his San Francisco hotel."
The WRU says no Welsh player is facing any sanctions for the incident with Williams believed to have broken his nose and cheekbone.
A WRU statement said: "Following the match between Wales and Samoa in San Francisco, an incident took place in the stadium tunnel which has led to the Samoa Rugby Union provisionally suspending one of their players. After a medical assessment relating to the incident, Wales' Tom Williams was ruled out of action."
World Rugby confirmed they were investigating the incident.
A World Rugby statement read: "We can confirm a Samoa player has been provisionally suspended from Rugby World Cup Sevens 2018 following an initial investigation into an alleged incident in the tunnel area after a match between Samoa and Wales at AT&T Park on Saturday.
"The alleged behaviour is not aligned with the sport's values and the excellent spirit in which this competition has been played by the 40 participating teams.
"World Rugby has instigated an investigation and the Samoa player will remain provisionally suspended until the final conclusion of that process."
Wales were allowed to bring in Will Talbot-Davies to replace Williams on the final day but were defeated by Ireland 27-12 in the Challenge Trophy semi-final.
Gareth Williams' side eventually finished 11th when they beat Canada 35-12 in their last game.
Samoan Rugby Union's general manager of high performance Zane Hilton said the governing body were supporting Langkilde.
"Incidents of this nature are extremely disappointing and take the focus off the game itself," said Hilton.
"The SRU is supporting Gordon with the investigations with World Rugby and the local San Francisco police. Our major focus is to support Gordon with every effort possible at this time."
BBC Wales News & Sport
Read more on BBC Wales News & Sport
BBC Sport Welsh Rugby Union
Read more on BBC Sport Welsh Rugby Union
Welsh Rugby Union
Read more on Welsh Rugby Union
Read more on Pro14

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
The Abilene Fire Station No. 2, at 441 Butternut in Abilene, Texas, was built in 1926.  It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1992.

It was deemed to be "Abilene's best and least altered example of a local government building. It is the city's only fire station that retains its integrity and stands as a vivid reminder of municipal efforts to provide basic services for local residents."

References

Fire stations on the National Register of Historic Places in Texas
National Register of Historic Places in Taylor County, Texas

Buildings and structures completed in 1926

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


At Preston Manning's annual conference for conservatives, five possible candidates for the Conservative leadership audition for attendees.
Whatever the presence of Kevin O'Leary, the most provocative thing said from the Manning Centre conference's main stage on Friday afternoon, as the official program turned to the consideration of the federal Conservative party's next leader, was uttered by Michael Chong.
"I believe," he said, "that we need to have a debate on carbon pricing."
Just hours earlier, three different Conservative MPs had stood in the House of Commons during question period and criticized the Liberal government's plan to pursue a federal price on carbon. Such efforts were the continuation of what has been a repetitive four-and-a-half-year campaign by federal Conservatives against any other party's suggestion that a price be attached to the carbon emissions fuelling climate change.
More notably, for the past week, Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall has been declaring his opposition to carbon pricing.
"Conservatives don't believe in giving things away for free. That's socialism," Chong said, referring presumably to the greenhouse gas emissions that would otherwise be freely released into the atmosphere. "We believe that externalities should be priced and that the root of what it means to be conservative is to conserve our environment for future generations."
But still. Over the past four and a half years in the House of Commons, Conservative MPs (with the notable exception of Michael Chong) have used the phrase "job-killing carbon tax" no less than 250 times.
To suggest that Conservatives engage in a "debate" about pricing carbon is to suggest that Conservatives have something more to offer than condemnation.
Style or substance or both?
When the Conservatives lost power last fall, the initial self-reflection had it that the party needed to change its "tone." That would suggest a problem of style, not substance.
And if defeat was a matter of style, then perhaps the Conservatives might, for instance, merely start referring to an "occupational-complicating carbon tax." Conversely, if there is an issue here of substance, then the Conservatives might think about how they imagine the country might meaningfully reduce its greenhouse gas emissions.
In advance of sorting that out, Preston Manning and the organizers of his annual confab invited those who had expressed an interest in the Conservative Party's leadership to present to the conference in sessions entitled, "If I run, here's how I'd do it."
Five hypothetical candidates were available and willing to acknowledge their interest. Which is at least a start.
Chong was lucky enough to go first and spent half of the 10 minutes given to each contestant discussing his story as the son of immigrants, complete with a slideshow of family photos. The lesson here was about Conservatives needing to better tell their stories and connect with Canadians.
The man best known for his championing of parliamentary reform was then followed by the star of television's Shark Tank (and formerly of CBC's Dragons' Den).
On style, and perhaps substance, O'Leary is a watchable entity. He is a performer who enjoys performing and knows how to. And he is a talented voice for the lines Conservatives are already using about reckless and irresponsible government spending.
Of course, O'Leary also brings the untrampled perspective of a novice, musing in his chat with Preston Manning that a national referendum on pipeline development would help to resolve the current debates.
On Saturday, Maxime Bernier, in a tightly tailored brown suit, neatly skewered O'Leary's contention that not speaking French was not a concern. But the Quebec MP's most interesting contributions were a vague suggestion of rewriting the federal formula for equalization payments and a proposal to abolish all government subsidies to business (though later, speaking to reporters, he did not offer a position on supply management).
Next, from Tony Clement, there was talk of renewing the Conservative apparatus, better engaging with Canadians (he promised to begin crowdsourcing good ideas) and four more notions of policy. In Clement's view, the Conservatives might offer some view of what to do about the environment, some approach to reducing poverty, some action toward balancing national security with privacy and some new model for funding the CBC. He also suggested amending the Canada Health Act to better promote innovation in health care across provinces.
This was at least far more policy than Raitt, going fifth, would offer.
"Hi everybody, how are ya?" Raitt asked upon arriving at the lectern.
Like Chong, she proceeded to tell her story. Hers was of a hardscrabble upbringing in Cape Breton — "We didn't think the world owed us anything," she said, adding that her family didn't claim employment-insurance assistance — followed by degrees in chemistry and law, and a successful career in Ontario before a turn to politics.
She cracked jokes and shared moments and hinted at linking her upbringing to a narrative about Liberal economic policy. In place of policy, she offered a pep talk. "We can and we must win in 2019," she said. "We are going to win in 2019. Because Canadians cannot afford us to lose."
Of course, it is very early yet. There is plenty of time left for debating policy. And none of Wall, Jason Kenney or Peter MacKay were here, each of whom could significantly impact the race.
For now, Raitt looked and sounded nothing like Stephen Harper. Of course, depending on how one views the last decade, perhaps that might even be enough.


text:
package de.doe300.activerecord.dsl.functions;

import de.doe300.activerecord.dsl.SQLFunction;
import de.doe300.activerecord.dsl.ScalarFunction;
import de.doe300.activerecord.jdbc.driver.JDBCDriver;
import de.doe300.activerecord.record.ActiveRecord;
import java.util.function.Function;
import javax.annotation.Nonnull;

/**
 * Trims a character string
 * @author doe300
 * @param <T>
 * @since 0.7
 * @see String#trim()
 */
public class TrimString<T extends ActiveRecord> extends ScalarFunction<T, String, String>
{
	/**
	 * @param columnName
	 *            the name of the number-column
	 * @param columnFunc
	 *            the function returning the column-value
	 */
	public TrimString(@Nonnull final String columnName, @Nonnull final Function<T, String> columnFunc)
	{
		super(JDBCDriver.SCALAR_TRIM, columnName, columnFunc);
	}

	/**
	 *
	 * @param sqlFunction the SQL-function
	 */
	public TrimString(@Nonnull final SQLFunction<T, String> sqlFunction)
	{
		super(JDBCDriver.SCALAR_TRIM, sqlFunction);
	}

	@Override
	protected String applySQLFunction( String columnValue )
	{
		return columnValue == null ? null : columnValue.trim();
	}
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Commendations icon
Iowa Dyslexia Survey Offered to Families
The Iowa Department of Education is teaming up with the University of Iowa Stead Family Children's Hospital to distribute a survey on behalf of the Iowa Dyslexia Task Force. The task force was established by the Iowa General...
Beaver Creek Awarded PBIS Honors
Beaver Creek Elementary has been awarded the Honor level of recognition from the Iowa PBIS State Leadership Team for the 2017-18 school year. They are one of 23 schools to receive the honor this year. The Positive Behavioral...
Yao Named Nat'l Merit Scholarship Winner
Today, National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) announced this year's National Merit $2500 Scholarship winners. The 2,500 Merit Scholar designees were chosen from a talent pool of more than 15,000 outstanding Finalists in the 2019 National Merit Scholarship Program....
JHS Exhibit at Burbs Art Show
(Submitted by Emily Slattery Phillips, JHS Art Teacher) Congratulations to the following students for being selected to exhibit work in the Burbs Art Show today at the Drake University Harmon Fine Arts Center, and to all of those...
Announcements icon
JCSD Offers Four Summer Meal Sites
The Johnston Community School District is participating in the USDA Summer Food Service Program. Meals will be provided to all children under the age of 18 without charge and are the same for all children regardless of race,...
Stepping Towards Success Banquet Honors Students
Ten Johnston High School seniors were honored at the fourth annual Stepping Towards Success banquet on April 30, 2019. This banquet is held to recognize students who were nominated by a faculty member for improving or maintaining excellence...
Johnston High School Ranked 9th in State by U.S. News & World Report
The 2019 U.S. News and World Report Best High School rankings have been released and Johnston High School has been named ninth in the state and 1,810th in the nation. The high school earned a "Best" ranking, a...
School Board Superheroes Celebrated in May
May is School Board Recognition Month, sponsored by the Iowa Association of School Boards to celebrate the contributions of board members to Iowa public education. The Johnston Community School District is celebrating our school board superheroes for their...
Newer Articles	Older Articles


Mastery is the ability to do what you do at an extremely high level as efficiently as possible. Mastery takes time, effort, persistence, patience, and the desire to constantly improve.
Striving for mastery when it comes to our unique purpose and calling is what allows us to serve others at a high level and make a profound impact which leads to experiencing true fulfillment.


text:
Q: 'Manager' object has no attribute 'remove' I am trying to allow a logged in user to delete their comment under a comment section, but I keep getting the error thrown in the title, and I'm not sure why. I've read up on Managers in the docs but don't quite understand what the issue is, as all my other models work just fine. Here is the code
views.py
def delete_comment(request, comment_id):

    comment_details = Comment.objects.get(id=comment_id)
    # Throws error at this line
    Comment.objects.remove(comment_details)

    return HttpResponseRedirect('view')

models.py
class Comment(models.Model):
    comment = models.CharField(max_length=64)
    item = models.ForeignKey('Listing', on_delete=models.CASCADE, null=True)
    user = models.ForeignKey(settings.AUTH_USER_MODEL, on_delete=models.CASCADE)
    date_created = models.DateTimeField(auto_now=True)

    def __str__(self):
        return f"{self.comment}"

A: Comment.objects is an object manager of Comment model. To erase the Comment object you have already got, you have to delete() it:
def delete_comment(request, comment_id):
    comment_details = Comment.objects.get(id=comment_id)
    comment_details.delete()
    return HttpResponseRedirect('view')

Or simpler:
def delete_comment(request, comment_id):
    Comment.objects.get(id=comment_id).delete()
    return HttpResponseRedirect('view')

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


beginning in the fall of 1980.
be able to complete their studies.
be used in another department.
USF. desired to teach. Fr.
consistent with what the Saint Ignatius Institute stands for.
Dr. Raymond Dennehy and Fr.
This Week's Highlights. . .
act against a particular group,"
Notable content This issue incorporates volume 1, number 6 of "Escapades: The Foghorn's guide to what's happening.
Transcript Budget Cuts Again C ^ USF May Eliminate French, Latin Majors by Walter Neary The College of Liberal Arts may "suspend" the French and Latin academic majors beginning in the fall of 1980. Only students cu rrently declared in the French or Latin major will be able to complete their studies. While the Acting Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Gary Stevens stressed that the decision had not been made before the Foghorn went to press, everyone interviewed in the Modern Languages and Classics Department acted as though the decision had been made. The University has not yet given official written notification to Dr. Barbara Mortenson, chairperson of the department, who said she planned to ask for the notification at a meeting held last Thursday. Stevens informed the department last Friday of the planned changes that might take effect. Five part-time teachers would be fired; one teacher retiring would not be replaced, and the services of Rabbi Davis, the sole Hebrew teacher, would be used in another department. The University would then offer only introductory courses in French and Latin. It would offer no courses in Italian and Hebrew. Cirvnlatrrt im rkr V.S.. Kmgttinrl nrtrl /rW-miV HDggflMfillHUrli Volume 75, Number 19 I'NIVERSITY OK SAN FRANCISCO March 14,1980 The reason the change in the program is being considered, Stevens said, is because the University, in order to cut costs, was "examining enrollment patterns and looking at available resources." There are eight French majors and two Latin majors currently declared. There are no figures available as to how many undeclared Liberal Arts majors at the University now plan to declare in one of the two fields, though Stevens said he asked the department to provide that information for their Thursday meeting. The consideration of a cut in the Languages Department was not a sudden one, Stevens added, but had been considered for some time. Last semester, the Foghorn was told, the department almost lost the ability to offer introductory courses in French and Latin, which would have"de facto" removed the majors. This semester, a heavily advertised program of intensive Spanish conversation, Spanish 15, was canceled two days before registration. Dr. Mortenson said, apparently because of a low rate of preregistration. She pointed out that the intensive and innovative program would have attracted mostly people who were not qualified to preregister (those in the community with a need to speak Spanish to work with the Hispanic community). If the proposed changes take effect, the Languages Department will be the most severely affected department. Other departments. Dr. Mortenson stated, will have to cut the number of sections of a particular course, but none will suffer a major change in their discipline. SII Loses Bernadicou Grievance by Theresa Hudson The Saint Ignatius Institute violated the Collective Bargaining Agreement and a letter of understanding between the Institute and the Faculty Association by failing to employ Fr. Paul Bernadicou to teach "Great Figures in Spirituality" at the Institute, ruled Adolph Koven, the Universtiy arbitrator. Fr. Bernadicou, who is in Rome on sabbatical leave until May, was sent the decision by the Association. Koven's decision was agreed to be final and binding by both the University and the Association. A hearing was held Feb. 5,1979, and included examination and cross-examination of witnesses, the introduction of relevant exhibits, and argument. Victor Van Bourg represented the Association and John A. Scalone was the lawyer for the University. The issue arose when the Institute offered Theology 162 in fall, 1978, which Fr. Bernadicou, a Jesuit priest and tenured professor of religious studies at USF. desired to teach. Fr. Joseph Fessio, SJ., the Director of the Institute, chose Fr. Paul Conner, O.P., to teach the course instead, because Fr. Fessio believes that Fr. Bernadicou is not in conformity with the official Catholic Church directives which the Institute upholds. Fr. Bernadicou has taught that one need not accept and follow the teachings of humanae vitae, said Fr. Fessio, and he does not concur with the positions of the bishops and the Pope as to what constitutes liturgical abuse. His views would have come out in class because of the subject matter and would indicate a fundamental attitude toward the Church which is inconsistent with those legitimately espoused by the Institute, Fr. Fessio added. The faculty contract states: "the University as a Catholic institution of higher learning has a significant interest in encouraging a Christian outlook Continued on back ESCMS Reps Appear Before ASUSF Senate Bill Cottles Fr. Joseph Fessio, S.J., feels Fr. Bernadicou's views are not consistent with what the Saint Ignatius Institute stands for. Archbishop Quinn Sppfo by Terence Law Emme Klama, Academic Advisor for Undeclared Majors at USF, informed the ASUSF' Senate members that student support is needed if the current level of academic and student services is to be maintained at the Educational Services Center for Minority Students (ESCMS). USF Hosted Symposium on the Catholic University A total of 497 undeclared students face the threat of losing career planning, academic evaluation, and academic major counseling if Klama's position is eliminated due to budget cuts, she stated at the Senate meeting Thursday, March 6. "All I want to do is inform the student body that they will be affected by budget cuts, but it is up to the students to decide what action to take," commented Klama, later joined by Lydia McCloskey. tutorial coordinator, who informed the Senate of the drastic tutorial cuts. Also at the meeting, the idea of a USF Activity Club Day in Harney Plaza was enthusiastic- ally supported by Frank Vaculin, Vice President of Activities. Frank also reported on the success of the video films being presented in Crossroads, and the possibility of the program's continuation. A student committee will be a part of the process of the selection of a new Dean of Arts and Sciences, reported Marilyn Jenne. Vice President of Academics. by Angela McNulty Pope John Paul II defined the role and goals of a Catholic university Wednesday evening, March 5, here at USF in the person of the Archbishop of San Francisco, John R. Quinn. Two hundred attended this symposium on "Catholic Higher Education," in the UC main lounge. Father John J. LoSchiavo, President of USF, opened the conference which also featured Dr. Raymond Dennehy and Fr. Andrew N. Woznicki, Associate Professors of philosophy, and Father Joseph T. Angilella, Academic Vice President of USF. Father Richard Hill. Chairman of the USF Board of Trustees, served as master of ceremonies. Quinn quoted the Pope (as did the other speakers)in sketching the role and purpose as the "fostering of the complete development of the person through a personal regeneration in Christ." In this light a Catholic university (say USF, for instance) has a specific contribution to make not only to the Church, but society. Fundamental principles of Papal thought mentioned by Quinn were the unity of Truth and the principle of pluralism of methodology. "The vision of the university which emerges is the vision of the integration of knowledge rooted in the ultimate unity of truth arrived at in its unique way by each field or discipline in fidelity to its own proper methodology," stated Quinn. According to Quinn the university fulfills a special role Continued on back La Raza Group Suffers from Racism by Theresa Hudson Raza Students in Health suspect that racism on campus is the cause of their signs announcing club meetings being ripped down from the walls of This Week's Highlights. . . Politics and Religion See page -6 Dons Smash UCLA Bruins See page 18 The Full Text ofthe Archbishop's Talk See page 23 Harney Science Center and McLaren Hall last week. Max Perez, the club's advisor, posted signs in Harney and McLaren which disappeared, so he posted more which had the same fate. "We should encourage different cultural expressions. I fail to understand this malicious act against a particular group," Perez stated. Last year our signs were consistently torn down and special posters picturing an Aztec face and Chicano face were burned, so people didn't find out about the meetings, continued Perez.


TCP welcomes Chet Garner, host of TV travel show The Daytripper, in the April 2019 issue. Garner will share his one-of-a-kind journals from Texas backroads.
Texans have known great partnerships throughout Lone Star history: Goodnight and Loving, Waylon and Willie and now Texas Co-op Power and Chet Garner, the Daytripper. Beginning with the April 2019 travel issue, Texas Co-op Power will deliver Chet's one-of-a-kind stories from Texas backroads. Share in the excitement as Chet explores out-of-the-way curiosities and colorful characters that make Texas unique.
See Chet's stories on the pages of Texas Co-op Power each month or enjoy a video of the trip on TexasCoopPower.com. Take Chet's advice and hit the road yourself. You'll find a new appreciation for the great state of Texas.


text:
Q: How to correctly type a generic React function component in TypeScript In the following TypeScript Playground example I tried to generalise the function component Element into a GenericElement component but TypeScript complains about the syntax.
How to correctly type a generic react function component in TypeScript using the React.FC type definition approach?
import React from 'react';

type PropsType = {
  id: string,
  value: string,
};

type GenericPropsType<keyType> = {
  id: keyType,
  value: string,
};

const Element: React.FC<PropsType> = ({ id, value }) => {
  return
{id.toString()}={value}
;
};

const GenericElement: React.FC<GenericPropsType<keyType>> = <keyType = string>({ id, value }) => {
  return
{id.toString()}={value}
;
};

Type 'Element' is not assignable to type 'FC<GenericPropsType<any>>'.
Type 'Element' provides no match for the signature '(props: PropsWithChildren<GenericPropsType<any>>, context?: any): ReactElement<any, any> | null'.
Cannot find name 'keyType'.
Property 'keyType' does not exist on type 'JSX.IntrinsicElements'.
Cannot find name 'id'.
Left side of comma operator is unused and has no side effects.
Cannot find name 'value'.
Cannot find name 'id'.
Cannot find name 'value'.
Identifier expected.
Unexpected token. Did you mean `{'>'}` or `>`?
Expression expected.
Unexpected token. Did you mean `{'}'}` or `}`?
JSX element 'keyType' has no corresponding closing tag.
'</' expected.
'Element' is declared but its value is never read.

A: I think it works using Higher-order function:
import React, { FC } from 'react';

type GenericPropsType<T = any> = {
  id: T,
  value: string,
};

const HoC = <T,>(): FC<GenericPropsType<T>> => (props) =>

const WithString = HoC<string>() // React.FC<GenericPropsType<string>>

Drawback: you have function overhead only because of type
I don't believe my answer is helpful, because you should explicitly define generic type, or you need to pass an argument in order to infer it:
const HoC = <T,>(a:T): FC<GenericPropsType<T>> => (props) =>

const WithString = HoC('a') // React.FC<GenericPropsType<string>>

Otherwise, I suggest you to use @Aleksey L.'s solution.

A: Based on the explanation of @Aleksey L., I came to the following complete example that might be helpful to others:
import React from 'react';
import ReactDOM from 'react-dom';

type GenericPropsType<keyType> = {
  id: keyType,
  value: string,
};

const GenericElement = <keyType extends string | number = string>({
  id,
  value = ''
}: GenericPropsType<keyType>): JSX.Element => {
  return (
{id}={value}
);
};

const UseGenericElement: React.FC = () => {
  return (
<GenericElement id={4711} value="4711" />
);
};

ReactDOM.render(

<UseGenericElement />
,
  document.getElementById('root');
);


SUNRISING Beach Cottage set in its own secluded garden, just 5 minutes walk from Croyde's famous surf beach and delightful village. A lovely, peaceful setting to enjoy the sound of the surf. ..and looking out through the back windows you can see the ocean through the sand dunes. Located near the end of a quiet cul-de-sac, it's back garden gate opens onto the level footpath which takes you through the dunes to the beach. Grab your surf board and go!


Local fighters JJ Ambrose and Jeff Mesa are headed to Melbourne for the Hex Fight Series. They leave early Monday March 25 and fight on March 29.
Guam mixed martial arts fighters JJ Ambrose and Jeff Mesa will head to Melbourne, Australia on Monday to fight in Hex Fight Series 18, set for March 29.
Mesa's wrestling background veered toward MMA fighting in 2014, and after several amateur fights, Mesa now holds a 3-2 professional record. This is his first time fighting internationally, and he's happy to be on the same card as Ambrose, his teammate and training partner.
Both will represent Guam, and also represent the Steel Athletics gym in Tamuning, which Ambrose founded. Mesa joined him three years ago.
"This is something I've been looking forward to for a while. I've trained with JJ for a while now and I don't think there's any other way to experience this but with the people I train with the most," Mesa said.
Mesa is a bantamweight and will fight at 135 pounds against Chrise Wase.
"I've watched a little bit of tape on him, know he's tough, but that's basically it. You don't get to be named 'Warrior' without being tough," said Mesa. "But I haven't been paying too much attention to him, I've just been working on myself and paying attention to my training."
This will be Ambrose's second fight within a month, after taking a year off from actively seeking fights. He guessed he's traveled from Guam to fight at least a dozen times, maybe more. Before he moved to Guam, Ambrose lived in Thailand and coached wrestling.
The welterweight (170 pounds) Ambrose said that for him, it's business as usual because his passion for the sport supersedes prize money or glory. Like Mesa, Ambrose just likes to fight, so he trains daily like there's one looming.
"It's a big responsibility because the population of Guam is very small. But I've always said that this is an island of warriors, so I'm proud to represent," said Ambrose. "And the thing about my team is that if one of us is fighting, we're all fighting. The strength and conditioning classes we teach are all based around our fight camps. One fights, we all fight."
Getting he and Mesa on the Hex 18 fight card started many years ago, when he was still living in Thailand.
"I met a guy named Trent James and he always said that 'One day, I'm gonna have a fight organization.' And so you chuckle at your friend's dreams," said Ambrose, smiling at the memory. "And then years later, he has a fight organization and I'm fighting on it. So insert foot in my mouth, and, 'Hey, can I have a fight, and can you get some of my guys on there?'"
Choosing Mesa from a talented Steel Athletics team was an easy decision, said Ambrose.
"Why Jeff? Jeff's one of those guys who always shows up, whether he has a fight or not. If it's 11 at night and I feel like hitting mitts before I step onto the plane, he's gonna be there," said Ambrose. "That's how it's been since Day 1. I met him three years ago and he never missed practice, he never has an excuse, he's a workhorse. There's plenty of talented guys out there but this is beyond that, beyond talent. It's one of those things I appreciate as a training partner but more so as a friend."
Also listed on the fight card is Kelvin Fitial of the CNMI. The "Big Hit" Filtial is a heavyweight and longtime regional favorite.


text:
HomeBusinessThe Sham Recovery
The Sham Recovery
March 12, 2010 Robert Reich
Are we finally in a recovery? Who's "we," kemosabe? Big global companies, Wall Street, and high-income Americans who hold their savings in financial instruments are clearly doing better. As to the rest of us – small businesses along Main Streets, and middle and lower-income Americans – forget it.
Business cheerleaders naturally want to emphasize the positive. They assume the economy runs on optimism and that if average consumers think the economy is getting better, they'll empty their wallets more readily and – presto! – the economy will get better. The cheerleaders fail to understand that regardless of how people feel, they won't spend if they don't have the money.
The US economy grew at a 5.9 percent annual rate in the fourth quarter of 2009. That sounds good until you realize GDP figures are badly distorted by structural changes in the economy. For example, part of the increase is due to rising health care costs. When WellPoint (WLP) ratchets up premiums, that enlarges the GDP. But you'd have to be out of your mind to consider this evidence of a recovery.
Part of the perceived growth in GDP is due to rising government expenditures. But this is smoke and mirrors. The stimulus is reaching its peak and will be smaller in months to come. And a bigger federal debt eventually has to be repaid.
So when you hear some economists say the current recovery is following the traditional path, don't believe a word. The path itself is being used to construct the GDP data.
Look more closely and the only ones doing better are the people and private-sector institutions at the top. Many of America's biggest companies are sitting on huge amounts of cash right now, but that says nothing about the health of the U.S. economy. Companies in the Standard&Poor 500 stock index had sales of $2.18 trillion in the fourth quarter, up from $2.02 trillion last year, and their earnings tripled. Why? Mainly because they're global, and selling into fast-growing markets in places like India, China, and Brazil.
America's biggest companies are also showing fat profits and productivity gains because they continue to slash payrolls and cut expenditures. Alcoa, for example, had $1.5 billion in cash at the end of last year, double what it had on hand at the end of 2008. Sounds terrific until you realize how it did it. By cutting 28,000 jobs – 32 percent of workforce – and slashed capital expenditures 43 percent.
Firms in S&P 500 are now holding a whopping $932 billion in cash and short-term investments. And they can borrow money cheaply. Corporate bond sales are brisk. So far in 2010, big U.S. corporations have issued $195.2 billion of debt, excluding government-guaranteed bonds. Does this spell a recovery? It all depends on what the big companies are doing with all this cash. In fact, they're doing two things that don't help at all.
First, they're buying other companies. (Walgreen (WAG) last month spent $618 million for New York drugstore chain Duane Reade; Bank of New York Mellon (BK), $2.3 billion for PNC Financial Services (PNC); Monster, $225 million for jobs.com; Diamond Foods (DMND), $615 million for Kettle Foods.) Is all this buying good for the economy and jobs? No. One of the first things companies do when they buy other companies is fire lots of people who are considered "redundant." That's where the so-called merger efficiencies and synergies come from, after all.
The second thing big companies are doing with all their cash is buying back their own stock, in order to boost their share prices. There were 62 such share buy-backs in February, valued at $40.1 billion. We're witnessing the biggest share buyback spree since Sept 2008. The major beneficiaries are current shareholders, including top executives, whose pay is linked to share prices. The buy-backs do absolutely nothing for most Americans.
(None of this, by the way, is stopping supply-side fanatics from arguing government needs to cut taxes on big corporations in order to spur the recovery. Their argument is absurd on its face. Big companies don't know what to do with all their cash they have as it is. They aren't investing it in new plant and equipment and new jobs. So why should the government cut their taxes and enlarge their cash hoards even more?)
The picture on Main Street is quite the opposite. Small businesses aren't selling much because they have to rely on American – rather than foreign – consumers, and Americans still aren't buying much.
Small businesses are also finding it difficult to get credit. In the credit survey conducted in February by the National Federation of Independent Businesses, only 34 percent of small businesses reported normal and adequate access to credit. Not incidentally, the NFIB's "Small Business Optimism Index" fell 1.3 points last month, just about where it's been since April.
That's a problem for most Americans. Small businesses are where the jobs are. In fact, small businesses are responsible for almost all job growth in a typical recovery. So if small businesses are hurting, we're not going to see much job growth any time soon.
The Federal Reserve reported Thursday that American consumers are shedding their debts like mad. Total US household debt, including mortgages and credit card balances, fell 1.7 percent last year – the first drop since the government began recording consumer debt in 1945. Much of the debt-shedding has been through default – consumers simply not repaying and walking away from homes and big-ticket purchases.
This is hardly good news. But here's the Wall Street Journal's take on it: "the defaults are leaving many people with more cash to spend and save, jump-starting the financial rehabilitation" of the economy.
Baloney. As of end of 2009, debt averaged $43, 874 per American, or about 122 percent of annual disposable income. Most economic analysts think a sustainable debt load is around 100 percent of disposable income – assuming a normal level of employment and normal access to credit. But unemployment is still sky-high and it's becoming harder for most people to get new mortgages and credit cards. And with housing prices still in the doldrums, they can't refinane their homes or take out new loans on them. The days of homes as ATMs are over.
Some cheerleaders say rising stock prices make consumers feel wealthier and therefore readier to spend. But to the extent most Americans have any assets at all their net worth is mostly in their homes, and those homes are still worth less than they were in 2007. The "wealth effect" is relevant mainly to the richest 10 percent of Americans, most of whose net worth is in stocks and bonds. The top 10 percent accounted for about half of total national income in 2007. But they were only about 40 percent of total spending, and a sustainable recovery can't be based on the top ten percent.
Add to all this the joblessness or fear of it that continues to haunt a large portion of the American population. Add in the trauma of what most of us have been through over the past year and a half. Consider also the extra need to save as tens of millions of boomers see retirement on the horizon. Bottom line: Thrifty consumers are doing the right and sensible thing by holding back from the malls. They saved a little over 4 percent of their disposable income in fourth quarter of 2009. In the months or years ahead they may save more.
Right and sensible for each household but a disaster for the economy as a whole. American consumers accounted for 70 percent of the total demand for goods and services in the American economy before the Great Recession, and a sizable chunk of world demand.
So what happens when the stimulus is over and the Fed begins to tighten again? Where will demand come from to get Main Street back, create jobs, raise middle class wages? Not from big businesses. Certainly not from Wall Street. Not from exports. Not from government.
So, where? That question is the big unknown hanging over the U.S. economy. Until there's an answer, an economic "recovery" for anyone other than big corporations, Wall Street, and the wealthy is a mirage.
About Robert Reich	547 Articles
Robert Reich is the nation's 22nd Secretary of Labor and a professor at the University of California at Berkeley.
He has served as labor secretary in the Clinton administration, as an assistant to the solicitor general in the Ford administration and as head of the Federal Trade Commission's policy planning staff during the Carter administration.
He has written eleven books, including The Work of Nations, which has been translated into 22 languages; the best-sellers The Future of Success and Locked in the Cabinet, and his most recent book, Supercapitalism. His articles have appeared in the New Yorker, Atlantic Monthly, New York Times, Washington Post, and Wall Street Journal. Mr. Reich is co-founding editor of The American Prospect magazine. His weekly commentaries on public radio's "Marketplace" are heard by nearly five million people.
In 2003, Mr. Reich was awarded the prestigious Vaclev Havel Foundation Prize, by the former Czech president, for his pioneering work in economic and social thought. In 2005, his play, Public Exposure, broke box office records at its world premiere on Cape Cod.
Mr. Reich has been a member of the faculties of Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government and of Brandeis University. He received his B.A. from Dartmouth College, his M.A. from Oxford University, where he was a Rhodes Scholar, and his J.D. from Yale Law School.
Visit: Robert Reich
1 Comment on The Sham Recovery
Theresa O'Brien March 13, 2010 at 11:59 am
First off, I love the way you write, I can comprehend your terminology. I have worked for Wag. for eight years! They are cutting not only many jobs, now they cut out the wearing of uniforms because it was not cost effective, so now we have to buy our own clothing and it must be Blue. WHAT! Fortune 500?!! Plus all hours were cut. I am down to 36.(at 40 hrs. I was already living pay check to pay check.) Articles about Walgreens are getting very difficult to read,I get a real sick feeling. They have left there emp in a cloud of dust.


Register today! Join WIFS at one of Baltimore's Best kept secrets " The Alizee American Bistro " at the Colonnade for a night of fun while learning how to cook like a chef. Guest Speaker Roberta Campanaro, owner of RGC Wellness, will educate us on how women can stay healthy and fit as we age.


The BCA 2019 Spring Meeting will take place at the University of Nottingham.
You will find the conference venues well-signposted around the campus.
Please click here to view a map of the campus. Please click here for further information about reaching the campus.
There are a number of bus services running from Nottingham to Jubilee campus. There are buses from the city centre approximately every 10 minutes during the day, and it takes around 20 minutes to reach the campus. Buses L12, 31 Unilink and St Peter's Court Shuttle go directly through the Jubilee campus. Buses leave from the bus stops on campus as well as on the main road at the campus entrance to take you back to the city centre.
There are taxi ranks throughout the city and immediately adjacent to the main railway and bus stations. The journey to the campus takes approximately 15 minutes. From the East Midlands airport, taxis can be found on the terminal forecourt. The cost of a single/one way journey to the campus is approximately £40.
Driving and Parking: For the purposes of route planners and sat-navs, the postcode to Jubilee Campus is NG8 1BB.
As a residential delegate, car parking is included in your registration package, and you should request a permit on checking into your room at Newark Hall. If you are a day delegate, then please park in the Orange Parking zones, and request a parking permit at the conference registration desk in Business School South.
NatWest Bank ATM Off the Jubilee Campus, there is a Co-Operative shop (Open until 22:00) on the main roundabout, green grocers, bakery, chemist, and a newsagent/Post Office.
There is complimentary Wi-Fi for all delegates on Jubilee Campus. A link of how you can access this is available here:http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/it-services/services/wireless/uonguest.aspx. You will need to set up an account for internet access; we would advise that you set this up before you arrive for the conference as it will be valid for 7 days.
Accommodation for the Spring Meeting is located at the University of Nottingham Jubilee campus, in Newark Hall.
Bedrooms are all en-suite single occupancy accommodation with a shower, WC and wash basin. Check-in is from 15:00 on day of arrival, and check-out is until 10:00 on day of departure. There is a luggage store at Newark Hall if you need to store your luggage on the day of your arrival or departure.
Please note that all bedrooms are no smoking areas. Newark Hall has 24-hour access. Upon checking in you will be given a swipe card which will allow you access to the hall of residence at all times. The main doors will lock at midnight but access can still be gained after this time by using the swipe card. Any guests who have not checked in by midnight are asked to use the free-phone at the entrance to the hall to call for security, who will let them into the hall of residence and give them their keys. There will be a member of the hall team available from 8.00am until midnight.


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Tag: War
Clips & Pix: U2/Pride (In the Name of Love)
One man come in the name of love/One man come and go/One man come here to justify/One man to overthrow…
As the U.S. observes Martin Luther King Day today, it felt right to feature this tune. Pride (In the Name of Love) may have been over-exposed. It's certainly been criticized for its lyrics, as have U2 for their grandiose concerts. I can also see why Bono's frequent political activism for hunger, the poor and other causes while becoming a very wealthy man in the course of it all can rub people the wrong way. And yet I've always loved this song.
Bono's singing is simply amazing, while The Edge provides a cool and unique guitar sound that's truly signature. While the lyrics may not teach a lot about Dr. King, I still believe the words are powerful. And, call me naive, I also believe being a force for good while becoming rich don't have to be mutually exclusive.
…In the name of love/One more in the name of love/In the name of love/
One more in the name of love…
Pride (In the Name of Love), composed by U2 with lyrics by Bono, is a tribute to Martin Luther King, Jr. The lyrics were inspired by U2's visit of the Chicago Peace Museum in 1983, which featured an exhibit dedicated to the civil rights leader. Initially, Bono had intended to write a song criticizing then-U.S. President Ronald Reagan for his pride in America's military might.
…One man caught on a barbed wire fence/One man he resist/One man washed up on an empty beach/One man betrayed with a kiss…
But as Songfacts notes, Bono came to the conclusion lyrics condemning Reagan weren't working. "I remembered a wise old man who said to me, don't try and fight darkness with light, just make the light shine brighter," he told NME. "I was giving Reagan too much importance, then I thought Martin Luther King, there's a man. We build the positive rather than fighting with the finger."
…In the name of love/One more in the name of love/In the name of love/One more in the name of love…
The melody and chords to Pride were conceived during a soundcheck in November 1983 prior to a U2 show in Hawaii. It was a gig during the band's supporting tour for their third studio album War that had been released in February of the same year. Like all U2 soundchecks, it was recorded. U2 continued work on the track after the tour and it was subsequently finished as part of the recording sessions for their next album The Unforgettable Fire.
…Early morning, April four/Shot rings out in the Memphis sky/Free at last, they took your life/They could not take your pride…
Pride erroneously suggests Dr. King was shot in the early morning of April 4, 1968. The murder actually occurred just after 6:00 pm local Memphis time – a surprising mistake for Bono who seems to be well read. He later acknowledged his error and in concerts sometimes sings "early evening, April 4." Why he simply didn't make that a permanent adjustment beats me – rhythmically, I don't see an issue.
Pride was first released in September 1984 as the lead single of The Unforgettable Fire, appearing one month ahead of the album. It was U2's first major international hit, topping the charts in New Zealand; climbing to no. 2 and no. 3 in Ireland and the UK, respectively; and becoming the band's first top 40 hit in the U.S.
…In the name of love/One more in the name of love/In the name of love/One more in the name of love.
Despite initially getting mixed reviews from music critics, Pride has since received many accolades. Haven't we seen this movie many times before? The tune was ranked at no. 388 on Rolling Stone's list of 500 Greatest Songs of All Time in December 2003. Pride is also included in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's list of 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll.
Sources: Wikipedia; Songfacts; YouTube
Author christiansmusicmusingsPosted on January 18, 2021 January 17, 2021 Categories Clips & PixTags Bono, Pride (In the Name of Love), Rock, The Edge, The Unforgettable Fire, U2, War8 Comments on Clips & Pix: U2/Pride (In the Name of Love)
This is it – well, almost! As the remaining hours of 2020 are ticking away, the time has come for my final post of this year. Since I've already expressed my thoughts about this year in comments to posts by fellow bloggers, I'm keeping this short and sweet.
I'd like to wish all readers a happy and healthy new year and hope you come back for more. Also, please keep the comments coming. I always enjoy reading your thoughts, even though we may not agree all the time on the music we post about. Thank goodness! Can you imagine how boring it would be, if everybody always had the same taste? Reading different perspectives is a good thing!
I'd like to leave you with a few new year's songs. They aren't all happy, but I feel choices are limited to begin with. Plus, obviously, the following is based on what I could find. I'm sure there are other tunes that would have been worthwhile to include. Plus, I wanted to keep it to a handful only.
Death Cab For Cutie/The New Year
I only know this indie rock band from Bellington, Wa. by name. Credited to all four members of the band at the time, Ben Gibbard (vocals, guitar, piano), Nick Harmer (bass), Chris Walla (guitar) and Jason McGerr (drums), The New Year is the opener of their fourth studio album Transatlanticism from October 2003.
Eagles/Funky New Year
Co-written by Don Henley and Glen Frey in 1978 but apparently not released at the time, Funky New Year was included in the Eagles' box set Legacy, which appeared in 2018. Groovy!
Otis Redding & Carla Thomas/New Year's Resolution
How about throwing in some sweet Stax soul music? My kind of music. Here's New Year's Resolution by Otis Redding and Carla Thomas. Co-written by Randle Catron, Willie Dean "Deanie" Parker and Mary Frierson, the tune was included on a studio album titled King & Queen. It appeared in March 1967 and was Redding's final album prior to his untimely death in an airplane crash on December 10, 1967.
U2/New Year's Day
Let's wrap it up with what's perhaps my favorite tune related to the new year: New Year's Day by U2. The Irish rock band recorded it for their third studio album War from February 1983. Like all other tracks on the record, it was credited to U2. Here's the live version from Under a Bloody Red Sky, released in November 1983, which I've always preferred over the studio take.
Happy New Year and be well!
Sources: Google; Wikipedia; YouTube
Author christiansmusicmusingsPosted on December 31, 2020 Categories OtherTags Ben Gibbard, Carla Thomas, Chris Walla, Death Cab For Cutie, Don Henley, Eagles, Funk Rock, Funky New Year, Glenn Frey, Indie Rock, Jason McGerr, Legacy, Mary Frierson, New Year's Day, Nick Harmer, Otis Redding, Randle Catron, Rock, Soul, The New Year, Transatlanticism, U2, Under a Bloody Red Sky, War, Willie Dean "Deanie" Parker5 Comments on Happy New Year!
Tumultuous Path Of A Journeyman And Survivor
For more than 50 years, Eric Burdon has been one of rock's most distinctive vocalists
Oftentimes, I feel the best blog ideas are inspired by a previous post. In this case, it was my writing about great covers performed by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, which included I'm Crying by The Animals. The tune reminded me of Eric Burdon and a voice I've always felt was made for singing the blues. Just like many other blues artists or more generally those who started out during the '60s and '70s, Burdon has experienced it all, from the highest high to the deepest low and everything else in-between. Unlike many fellow artists, he's still there, which I think makes him one of the ultimate survivors.
Eric Victor Burdon was born on May 11, 1941 in the northeastern English industrial town of Newcastle upon Tyne. His upbringing in a lower class working family was rough. Burdon started smoking at the age of 10 and skipping school with friends to drink beer. He described his early school years as a Dickens novel-like "dark nightmare," which included bullying, sexual molestation and sadistic teachers hitting kids with a leather strap. While his father Matt Burdon struggled as an electric repairman, this allowed the family to have a TV by the time Eric was 10. Yet again the TV sparking it all!
Seeing Louis Armstrong on the tube triggered Burdon's initial interest in music, first in the trombone, then in singing. The next decisive stage in his life was secondary school and a teacher named Bertie Brown who helped him get into the local art college. There he met John Steele, the original drummer of The Animals. They ended up playing in a band called The Pagan Jazzmen. By early 1959, keyboardist Alan Price had joined. After a few iterations and name changes, the band evolved into The Animals in 1962.
The Animals (from left): John Steele, Eric Burdon, Hilton Valentine, Alan Price and Chas Chandler
The initial lineup featured Burdon (lead vocals), Steele (drums), Price (keyboards), Hilton Valentine (guitar) and Chas Chandler (bass), who later became the manager of Jimi Hendrix. Between September and December 1963, The Animals developed a following in Newcastle by playing local clubs there. During that period, Burdon met some of his blues heroes, including John Lee Hooker and Sonny Boy Williamson. The Animals also backed Williamson during a local gig.
In December 1963, The Animals recorded their first single Baby Let Me Take You Home. It climbed to a respectable no. 22 on the UK singles chart. But it was the second single, The House Of The Rising Sun from June 1964, which brought the big breakthrough, topping the charts in the UK, U.S., Canada and Sweden. It also started the beginning of the band's demise when the arrangement of the traditional was only credited to Price who collected all the songwriting royalties.
The band's first studio album The Animals appeared in the U.S. in September 1964. Their British debut record followed two months later. As was quite common at the time, the track listing between the two versions differed. Altogether, the original incarnation of The Animals released five U.S. and three U.K. studio albums. Here's the above mentioned I'm Crying, which was included on the second U.S. record The Animals On Tour, a peculiar title for a studio album. Co-written by Burden and Price, it's one of only a few original tracks by the band that was mostly known for fiery renditions of blues and R&B staples by the likes of John Lee Hooker, Jimmy Reed and Ray Charles.
In May 1966, The Animals released Don't Bring Me Down. Co-written by songwriter duo Gerry Goffin and Carole King, the tune became Burdon's favorite single, he told Louder/The Blues during a long interview in April 2013. The song also became the opening track to the band's fourth U.S. album Animalization released in July 1966. The great tune is characterized by a distinct Hammond B3 sound played by Dave Rowberry, who had replaced Alan Price following his departure in late 1965, and Hilton Valentine's fuzz guitar. Burdon recalled the song's recording in a hotel in the Bahamas. "There was an old record player in the room where we were recording and it had this strange, thin electrostatic speaker. Dave Rowberry connected it to his Hammond B3 and that's where the sound comes from on that track."
By September 1966, The Animals had dissipated and Burdon started work on his first solo album Eric Is Here, which wouldn't appear until the following year. Meanwhile, in December 1966, he formed Eric Burdon & The Animals. In addition to him, the band included Barry Jenkins, who had replaced John Steel on drums during the first incarnation of The Animals, John Weider (guitar, violin, bass), Vic Briggs (guitar, piano) and Danny McCulloch (bass). The band subsequently relocated from the U.K. to San Francisco. By that time, Burdon had become a heavy user of LSD.
In October 1967, Eric Burdon & The Animals released their debut. Appropriately titled Winds Of Change, it featured mostly original tracks and psychedelic-oriented rock, a major departure from the past. But, as Louder/The Blues noted, except for San Franciscan Nights, "the British public were reluctant to accept Eric's transformation from hard-drinking Geordie bluesman to LSD-endorsing, peace and love hippy." Three more albums followed before this second incarnation of The Animals dissolved in late 1968. Here's Monterey, the opener to their second record The Twain Shall Meet from May 1968. Reflecting the band's drug-infused experiences at the Monterey Pop Festival, where they also had performed, the tune is credited to all five members.
Disillusioned with the music business, Burdon went to LA to try acting. But after one year, he returned to music, fronting a Californian funk rock band that would be called War. Together they recorded two original albums in 1970. Here's Spill The Wine from the first, Eric Burden Declares "War", which appeared in April 1970. Credited to the members of War, the tune became the band's first hit, peaking at no. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100. It also marked Burdon's last major chart success.
Burdon's relationship with War abruptly unraveled after the band had decided to record their next album without him. It was around the same time his friend Jimi Hendrix passed away. Burden was devastated. "That became the end of the parade because it affected us so much," he stated during the above Louder/The Blues interview. "It was tough for me. It was tough for everybody." Unfortunately, one of Burdon's answers was drugs and more drugs.
During the '70s and '80s, Burdon had numerous drug excesses. In 1983, this lead to an arrest in Germany where he had lived since 1977. Subsequently, he returned to the U.S. Yet despite all the upheaval, Burdon still managed to continue recording albums and touring. In 1971, he teamed up with American jump blues artist Jimmy Witherspoon for a record titled Guilty! Here's Home Dream, a great slow blues tune written by Burdon.
In August 1977, the first incarnation of The Animals released the first of two reunion albums, Before We Were So Rudely Interrupted, billed as The Original Animals. Despite positive reviews, the record only reached no. 70 on the Billboard 200. Lack of promotion, no supporting tour and most importantly appearing at a time when punk and disco ruled were all factors. Here's the great opener Brother Bill (The Last Clean Shirt), a tune co-written by Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller and Clyde Otis.
Next up: Going Back To Memphis, a song co-written by Burdon and Steve Grant. It appeared on Burdon's 1988 album I Used To Be An Animal. Released in the wake of his autobiography I Used To Be An Animal, But I'm Alright Now, it was Burdon's first new album in almost four years.
In April 2004, My Secret Life appeared, Burdon's first new solo record in almost 16 years. Here's the opener Once Upon A Time, a nice soulful tune co-written by Burdon and Robert Bradley.
'Til Your River Runs Dry is Burdon's most recent studio release, which came out in January 2013. His website calls it his "most personal album to date." Here's Old Habits Die Hard, co-written by Burdon and Tom Hambridge. "This song is dedicated to the people in Egypt and Libya trying to throw off the shackles of all those centuries of brutality," Burdon told Rolling Stone a few days prior to the record's release. "It reminds me of Paris in 1968 when I saw the kids going up against the brutal police force or the L.A. uprising. I went through these experiences and they're still with me today. The struggle carries on. I wrote this song so I won't forget and to say, even though I'm older now, I am still out there with you."
Burdon's most recent recording is a nice cover of For What It's Worth, written by Stephen Stills and originally released by Buffalo Springfield in December 1966. He commented on his website: The whole idea of recording this song came as a result of a conversation I had with a young fan backstage, when she asked me, "Where are the protest songs today?" Right then and there, I wanted to write something about the brutality that's going on in the world today but I couldn't find any better way to say it than Buffalo Springfield did in "For What It's Worth.
In 1994, Eric Burdon was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame as part of The Animals, along with the other original members of the band. He did not attend the induction ceremony. Burdon remains active to this day and uses the name The Animals for his backing band, which includes Evan Mackey (trombone), Davey Allen (piano), Dustin Koester (drums), Johnzo West (guitar), Justin Andres (bass) and Ruben Salinas (saxophone).
While Burdon's website currently does not list any upcoming gigs for this year, according to Consequence of Sound, Eric Burdon & The Animals are part of the lineup for the KAABOO Festival in Arlington, Texas, May 10-12. The band is also scheduled to perform on May 26 at Avila Beach Blues Festival in California.
Asked by Louder/The Blues during the above interview how he would sum up the past 50 years, Burdon said, "I'd been screwed by [War], I'd been screwed by The Animals. All use Burdon because he's a great front guy and then come payday where's the money? A lot of people had a great ride off me being on stage and I didn't get much of it." With a little chuckle he added, "I'm not bitter. I'm bittersweet."
Sources: Wikipedia, Louder/The Blues, Deutsche Welle, Eric Burdon website, Rolling Stone, Consequence of Sound, Eventbrite, YouTube
Author christiansmusicmusingsPosted on February 10, 2019 December 30, 2020 Categories OtherTags 'Til Your River Runs Dry, Alan Price, Animalization, Baby Let Me Take You Home, Barry Jenkins, Before We Were So Rudely Interrupted, Blues, Blues Rock, Brother Bill (The Last Clean Shirt), Buffalo Springfield, Carole King, Chas Chandler, Clyde Otis, Danny McCulloch, Dave Rowberry, Davey Allen, Don't Bring Me Down, Dustin Koester, Eric Burdon, Eric Burdon & The Animals, Eric Burdon Declares "War", Eric Is Here, Evan Mackey, For What It's Worth, Gerry Goffin, Going Back To Memphis, Guilty!, Hilton Valentine, I'm Crying, Jerry Leiber, Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Reed, Jimmy Witherspoon, John Lee Hooker, John Steele, John Weider, Johnzo West, Justin Andres, Lost Within The Halls Of Fame, Mike Stoller, Monterey, Monterey Pop Festival, My Secret Life, Old Habits Die Hard, Once Upon A Time, Psychedelic Rock, Ray Charles, Robert Bradley, Rock, Ruben Salinas, San Franciscan Nights, Sonny Boy Williamson, Spill The Wine, Stephen Stills, Steve Grant, The Animals, The Animals On Tour, The House Of The Rising Sun, The Original Animals, The Pagan Jazzmen, The Twain Shall Meet, Tom Hambridge, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Vic Briggs, War, Winds Of Change4 Comments on Tumultuous Path Of A Journeyman And Survivor
Aw, The '80s (Part 1: 1980-1984)
A two-part feature looking back at music of the decade
I've mentioned my weak spot for '80s music on a few previous occasions. My taste has since evolved, and I now find myself wondering more often than not how I could have liked certain songs as much as I did back then. Well, obviously, I was a lot younger (though of course, I'm still young at heart!), and that music was all around me. It also triggers memories of school, parties, the first vacations with friends (and without my parents or any adults for that matter), the first hangover…in other words, it really was the soundtrack of growing up – okay, call me a sentimental fool!
This morning, I rode the car with my wife and put on Duran Duran's Rio album – she loves '80s, so it was all her fault! 🙂 Anyway, listening to this 1982 record gave me the idea to reflect on music and some related events from that decade. Since it's a big topic, I figured it would be best to divide my thoughts in two parts. Obviously, it's still not possible to make this all-inclusive, so I'm going to be arbitrary and selective, focusing on things that are meaningful to me. Here's part I spanning 1980 to 1984.
Some of the first things that come to my mind when thinking about the '80s are Madonna, Michael Jackson, Prince, the death of disco, new wave, the advent of the CD, hair metal bands and Live Aid. Of course, I could add many other buzz words, e.g., music videos. At the time, we didn't have cable or satellite television at my house back in Germany, so I missed out on MTV and VH1. In fact, believe or not, it wasn't until 1993 when I first came to the U.S. that I watched VH1 and kind of got hooked, especially on their Behind The Music documentaries. For some reason, I never warmed to MTV.
Some of the events I'd like to call out are Paul McCartney's arrest in Tokyo for marijuana possession, which resulted in the cancellation of the remaining Wings tour that year (Jan 16); launch of Pink Floyd's The Wall tour in Los Angeles (Feb 7); release of Back In Black, AC/DC's first album with Brian Johnson who had replaced original lead vocalist Bon Scott (Jul 25); death of Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham (Sep 25); and murder of John Lennon who was shot by deranged Mark David Chapman in front of his Manhattan residence after returning from the recording studio with Yoko Ono (Dec 8).
The biggest hit singles of the year were Another Brick In The Wall (Part 2) (Pink Floyd), Woman In Love (Barbara Streisand), (Just Like) Starting Over (John Lennon), Funkytown (Lipps) and Upside Down (Diana Ross). I dug all of these songs at the time. While from today's perspective my favorite is the Lennon tune, the track I'd like to highlight in a clip is Call Me by Blondie. Co-written by Debbie Harry and producer Giorgio Moroder (remember that guy?), the song was released as a single in February that year and was also included on the soundtrack for the 1980 picture American Gigolo. It became the band's biggest hit, topping the Billboard Hot 100, as well as the charts in the U.K. and Canada, and scoring in the top 20 in many other countries.
Notable events include the release of Face Value, the first solo album by Phil Collins – like it or not, the Genesis drummer was just everywhere in the '80s – with Genesis and solo! (Feb 9); first break-up of Yes (Apr 18) only to reunite less than two years later and release their biggest-selling album 90125; U2's television debut in the U.S. on the NBC late night program The Tomorrow Show (Jun 4); official launch of MTV in New York (Aug 1); Simon & Garfunkel's free reunion concert in the Big Apple's Central Park, drawing more than 500,000 visitors – no disputes over crowd attendance here! (Sep 9 ); and Rod Stewart show at Los Angeles Forum, broadcast live via satellite and watched by an estimated 35 million people worldwide – the first such broadcast since Elvis Presley's 1973 Aloha From Hawaii special.
The top 5 hit singles of the year were Bette Davis Eyes (Kim Carnes), Tainted Love (Soft Cell), In The Air Tonight (Phil Collins), Woman (John Lennon) and Stars On 45 Medley (Stars On 45). Again, to me the Lennon tune holds up the best, though I also still like Bette Davis Eyes and have to admit In The Air Tonight is kind of cool. Even though I feel I've been over-exposed to Collins, I admit he's done some good songs. Here's a clip of Down Under by Men At Work. Co-written by Colin Hay and Ron Strykert, and released in October, the song was the second single from the band's debut album Business As Usual that appeared the following month. It was cool then, and I still dig this tune.
Perhaps most notably, the year saw the debut of Madonna with Everybody (Oct 2), the lead single from her first eponymous 1983 studio record, as well as the release of Michael Jackson's Thriller album (Nov 30), which remains the world's best-selling record to date. Some of the other events include the death of comedian and Blues Brothers vocalist John Belushi (March 5); premiere of Pink Floyd – The Wall, a film adaptation of the band's 1979 album with the same title, at the Cannes Film Festival in France; and start of CD mass production by Dutch technology company and disc co-inventor Philips in Langenhagen near Hanover, Germany (Aug 17).
Eye Of The Tiger (Survivor), Down Under (Men At Work), I Love Rock 'N' Roll (Joan Jett & The Blackhearts), Come On Eileen (Dexys Midnight Runners) and Ebony And Ivory (Paul McCartney & Michael Jackson) were the biggest hit singles that year. Below is a clip of Come On Eileen, which appeared as a single in June. Co-written by Kevin Rowland, Jim Paterson and Billy Adams, the song was also included on the band's second studio album Too-Rye-Ay, released the following month. I always found it cool how the catchy tune blended elements of Celtic folk with pop music.
On March 2, CDs started to go on sale in the U.S., following their initial release in Japan the previous October. Some of the year's other events in music include the debut of Let's Spend The Night Together in New York, a film documenting the 1981 North American tour of The Rolling Stones (Feb 11); release of U2's third studio album War, which debuts at no. 1 in the U.K. and features their first international hit single New Year's Day (Feb 28); release of David Bowie's commercially most successful studio album Let's Dance (Apr 14); unveiling of Kiss's faces without their make-up for the first time on MTV (Sep 18) – yes, I do seem to recall that seeing their actual faces was a pretty big deal at the time!; and Quiet Riot's Metal Health, the first heavy metal album to top the Billboard 200 (Nov 26).
The biggest hit singles of the year: Karma Chameleon (Culture Club); Billie Jean (Michael Jackson); Flashdance…What A Feeling (Irene Cara); Let's Dance (David Bowie) and Every Breath You Take (The Police). Did I have all these songs? You betcha – in fact, I still do, mostly somewhere on music cassettes! Here's Billie Jean, written by the King of Pop himself, and released as the second single from the Thriller album in January 1983.
Some of the happenings in the music world that year: Announcement from BBC Radio 1 DJ Mike Read of this refusal to play Relax by Frankie Goes To Hollywood due to its suggestive lyrics (Jan 11), a ban that was put in place by the entire BBC around the same time – in a clear illustration that something forbidden oftentimes tends to make it more attractive, only 10 days later, the tune stood a no. 1 on the Official Singles Chart in the UK; death of one of the greatest soul artists, Marvin Gaye, who following an argument was killed by his own father with a gun he had given to him as a Christmas present the previous year (Apr 1); release of Prince's sixth studio album Purple Rain (Jun 25), the soundtrack to the 1984 film of the same name – one of his most successful records and the third-best-selling soundtrack album of all time, exceeding more than 25 million copies sold worldwide; and the first annual MTV Music Awards held in New York, where Madonna raised some eyebrows with a racy performance of Like A Virgin (Sep 14) – Madonna being controversial?
The biggest hit singles of 1984 were Careless Whisper (George Michael), I Just Called To Say I Love You (Stevie Wonder), Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go (Wham!), Girls Just Want To Have Fun (Cyndi Lauper) and Relax (Frankie Goes To Hollywood). Since I was a good boy and never listened to Relax and Like A Virgin, here's a clip of Borderline, a song from Madonna's debut record. On a more serious note, the tune that was written by producer Reggie Lucas still is one of my favorite Madonna songs. It became the album's fifth and last single released in February 1984, peaking at no. 2 in the U.K. and reaching no. 10 in the U.S., less successful than the scandalous Like A Virgin!
Stay tuned for part 2, which will cover the period from 1985 to 1989.
Sources: Wikipedia, YouTube
Author christiansmusicmusingsPosted on August 18, 2018 August 18, 2018 Categories OtherTags '80s, (Just Like) Starting Over, 90125, AC/DC, Aloha From Hawaii, American Gigolo, Another Brick In The Wall (Part 2), Back In Black, Barbara Streisand, Bette Davis Eyes, Billie Jean, Billy Adams, Blondie, Blues Brothers, Bon Scott, Borderline, Brian Johnson, Business As Usual, Call Me, Careless Whisper, Colin Hay, Culture Club, Cyndi Lauper, David Bowie, Debbie Harry, Diana Ross, Duran Duran, Elvis Presley, Every Breath You Take, Face Value, Flashdance...What A Feeling, Frankie Goes To Hollywood, Funkytown, Genesis, George Michael, Girls Just Want To Have Fun, I Just Called To Say I Love You, In The Air Tonight, Irene Cara, Jim Paterson, John Belushi, John Bonham, John Lennon, Karma Chameleon, Kevin Rowland, Kim Carnes, Kiss, Led Zeppelin, Let's Dance, Let's Spend The Night Together, Like A Virgin, Lipps, Madonna, Mark David Chapman, Marvin Gaye, Metal Health, Michael Jackson, New Year's Day, Paul McCartney, Phil Collins, Pink Floyd, Prince, Purple Rain, Quiet Riot, Reggie Lucas, Relax, Rio, Rod Stewart, Ron Strykert, Simon & Garfunkel, Soft Cell, Stars On 45, Stars On 45 Medley, Stevie Wonder, Tainted Love, The Police, The Rolling Stones, The Wall, Thriller, Too-Rye-Ay, U2, Upside Down, Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go, War, Wham!, Wings, Woman, Woman In Love, Yes, Yoko Ono, `Giorgio Moroder4 Comments on Aw, The '80s (Part 1: 1980-1984)